Unlikely Heroes
Chapter 41: End of Being
Meanwhile while all of what had been going on with Chris's group, the ones with Jill had watched those guys get into the elevator and heard her say that line. The female human then turned around and took only one step when suddenly weakness and fatigue washed over her body. "Wait, Jill?" Uma asked.
The human didn't reply as her vision started to fade to black. With a moan, Jill began to fall to the ground but was caught by Logan. The female began to lose conscious. "Chris…" she whispered before darkness swept over her body.
"Jill!" Akio exclaimed with worry. Logan laid her on the ground comfortably.
"It's okay, she's just unconscious," he stated. "I don't blame her after all that she went through from earlier."
"So… what should we do?" Uma asked.
"Just keep her comfortable, let her body recover a bit. Though at some point she'll have to be roused from it."
But then a familiar voice and face would get the group moving again after they arrived here. The sound of footsteps made the four who were conscious look up after some time had passed since Jill passed out. "Shhh!" Cosmo stated softly to the others. The other three heard it and got ready.
The one that had arrived then emerged and who it was surprised those from the nether. "Wait; it's…" began Uma.
"It's Josh!" Akio exclaimed.
The said human saw who was here and got a look of relief. "There you guys are!" he stated and then noticed the rest weren't with this small group and got concerned. "Wait, where are Sheva and the others?"
"They've gone ahead," Logan replied. "We've stayed behind to watch Jill."
"Wait, the Jill?" Josh got to where they were and saw the female human passed out.
The human male approached and began to gently shake her awake. "Hey, can you hear me?" Josh asked. "Are you alright?"
Jill slowly started to come to. "Chris?" she mumbled. The female then saw it wasn't him.
"Good," Josh stated. "You are awake."
Those who knew the male human introduced him to Jill and he helped her up on her feet. "I've got to say, I never thought that I would get the chance to meet you," Josh told her.
"Thanks," she kindly replied.
"So what are you doing here?" Uma asked.
"I was looking for you guys. Have you seen the others?"
"Yeah," Jill replied to Josh. "Chris, Sheva, and the rest went after Desker. He's on some tanker."
"I saw one anchored off shore. Do you know where they are headed?"
"Yeah," the female human answered. "But it's already left. It's too late to get to it now."
"It's never too late," Josh stated. "I got a helicopter waiting and I'm going after Sheva."
"You got room for a few more?" Cosmo asked with a grin.
Josh let out a smirk. "There's always room for friends and for a beautiful lady," he replied.
"I bet you say that to all the girls," Jill said, flattered.
"Just the pretty ones like with Uma and Akio. Come on, let's go."
This new group then got onto the same elevator that Chris and his group had taken already. It was already dark when the emerged at the same area that looked out at the water where the ship had been. It was then down the same flight of stairs to get to where they needed to go. "The helicopter is waiting on the other side of this mountain range," Josh stated. "Hurry, Sheva may need our help."
"Got it!" Jill replied.
The group made it to the loading dock of this area and busted through a door. "I think I hear something," Uma then said.
It was enemy Ajini that were left. "More of the enemy; time to take them out," Logan stated.
The group fought their way through this harbor like area. Sometimes they had to split up to open a door or two for the others. The enemy was beaten back and soon the group was in a small covered tunnel that would take them to the next area. That's when someone contact Josh on his communicator. "Hey Josh!" went a male voice. "Still having fun out there?"
The said male let out a scoff before replying. "I was until you interrupted, Doug. I'm heading to your position. And I'm bring a lady and her friends."
"I don't remember picking up women being part of the mission," came the reply, half joking and half hoping. "Is she and the others cute?"
"Show some respect. The other two are dating a boyfriend each who have helped us. And the other is Jill Realentine we're talking about here."
"Hey, hey, hey Miss Realtime!" Josh stated with a bit of a laugh. "Sorry you and the rest had to get picked up by that meathead. I'm here for you if you need to talk to a real man."
"Can the chatter Doug," Josh said with amusement. "Josh out."
"He sounds like a character," Logan commented.
The group was now at a location where trucks came in to deliver things. There were a number of barrels scattered around with enemy Ajini to. These were quickly killed until a couple of really tough ones appeared. "Great, another chainsaw wielding one," Cosmo grumbled.
It turned out this time not many hits were needed to defeat this Ajini as the last times they were very durable and could take a lot of damage. However when it was killed, the body did swell up and then exploded like dynamite. "That wasn't so bad," Uma commented.
The group fought through the last of the enemy that was currently still alive. They then saw they had to go through another door at the end of this section. But before they reached it, some of the large containers here flew open revealing more Ajini including another chainsaw wielding one. "Damn, another!" Logan stated.
It turned out this tough enemy also wasn't as hard to kill. Once all the Ajini were taken care of, the group got their hands on a Emergency Exit key that would come in handy. This was used on the door that would take the group to the next area. After going through a small hallway they emerged in a different loading area. There were a few tunnels that went into the mountain range. But the group hadn't gotten far when they heard a warning signal blaring on a loudspeaker system. They could see enemy Ajini emerging, some even at turrets to repel enemies. "More of them," Logan grumbled.
"Guys, I'm sorry but I have to get to the communication facility," Jill then said. "There's something I have to tell Chris."
"OK, but don't think you can get rid of me and the others that easily," Josh commented. "The chopper is waiting for us beyond the communication facility, so we're heading in the same direction."
"Thank you, Josh."
"We're with you all the way," Cosmo added.
The first item of business was snipping of any of the enemies that were far away. Jill who had managed to acquire a gun that would help with that did the task and Cosmo helped her. They got direct hits, some of them being headshots right on target. "Nice shot!" Josh stated seeing them take the Ajini out so quickly and effectively.
"Okay, I think that's all for now," the male android said once he and Jill had killed the far off Ajini they had spotted.
The female human then led the way forward. After a small jump to a lower level and taking some stairs down, the group arrived at the main area. There were tracks that went into one of the tunnels and looking showed that this place was once another mining facility. After killing a few more enemies the group saw their way forward was blocked by a heavy metal door. "Looks like we'll have to blow that door if we want to go through," Jill said.
"You wanna handle this?" Akio asked Cosmo.
"I could, but you know what'd be even more fun?" the male android replied, looking back to where one of the turrets were and Logan knew what the guy was thinking.
"Yeah, use one of their guns and blow shit up," the male wizard stated.
Jill led the way again, the group fighting through more enemy Ajini. It was then through a gate door. By this point the moon and stars had come out and while any other time it would have been a beautiful sight, this situation was anything but that. Especially when a familiar tough enemy appeared. It was another of the huge ones that wielded the very large ax. "Another of them?!" Akio exclaimed.
"Damn it all!" Logan said.
"Hand me some of the grenades we picked up!" Cosmo stated. "I'm going blow this son of a bitch sky high!"
It turned out this thing still took quiet a number of hits, but not as much like the first one that was encountered. When the enemy was killed it fell to the ground and then exploded into a gory mess. Now the group could continue even though they had to fight through another wave of Ajini. It was then up a ladder and kicking in a door. They finally reached the turret after climbing up to it. "Wanna do the honor?" Logan asked Jill.
The female human got to the controls, took aim, and fired the shot. It went right on target and blew open the way forward with an explosion. "Oh yeah!" Cosmo exclaimed with a whoop. "That was more fun!"
"Well this next part isn't going to be," Uma groaned, hearing more Ajini coming in to attack. "How many are there?!"
The group fought their way through this new wave of enemies and made their way to where the heavy metal door had been. Now they were at the next section of this place and had to kick down a small door to proceed forward. "I see another turret up ahead; let's use it," Cosmo stated.
The male android took aim and used his superb snipping ability to kill the Ajini who was controlling the weapon. "Not bad at all!" Josh told him.
"Now we blow some shit up again," Logan said with a grin.
The group made their way to the new turret was, fighting through more enemies. Once they got there, Jilly took a few nearby Ajini out before firing at some barrels. These exploded and opened up the next area for the group. They then had to go that place and get to the turret here to open up the path to get even further. What the group found was a more heavily fortified section. They had to keep firing and fighting until they reached a ladder that was broken in the middle. "Here, I'll give you a boost love," Cosmo told Akio and got into position.
She, Jill, and Uma went on ahead to the level above. The females then fought their way to a door that was locked on the other side by a bar. The bar was removed and the males were able to open it and join them. But then they came across a problem up ahead. "Damn it!" Josh stated. "The bridge is out!" The guy got onto his communicator. "Doug! Come in! The bridge is out. I'm going to need you to come to us."
"There's a landing pad on the roof of the communication facility," Jill added. "Can you meet us there?"
"Anything for you Ms. Realentine," came the reply. "I'll be waiting with open arms."
"He's quite a character," Jill stated with amusement.
"That's one way of putting it," Josh commented.
It was then inside some doors. "This is it, give me a hand," Jill stated.
What was here were computer monitors of all kinds. Uma and Akio had no idea how this worked but Josh and Cosmo did. They began typing on one of the keyboards and the system came to life. But it looked like it wouldn't last long, or at the very least it wouldn't be a strong signal. "We've set it to broadcast on the same frequency as Chris's PDA," the male human told the female one.
Jill nodded and turned the screen she would be looking through when the said person picked up. "Please be there Chris…" she whispered.
Meanwhile with his group, he, Sheva, and the ones from the nether had made it back inside the control area of the ship. There was a warning sound going on along with a red light to match. An automated voice was telling the facility to evacuate immediately. The male human then noticed something on one of the monitors. "Wait," Chris stated.
They went over to see what was on the monitor. "An assault bomber!" Sheva said.
"When Jill said Desker was planning to spread Drodoros across the world…" began Nicholas.
"He's planning to use this to spread it," Liru finished the thought.
The image on the monitor changed to show an all too familiar person looking at the aircraft. "Desker!" Pachira exclaimed.
"There he is," Chris stated. "C'mon, let's go!"
Suddenly his PDA went off, indicating there was a coming call. Chris answered it to see Jill's face. "Jill!" the male human exclaimed as everyone in his group gathered around to look. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she replied and urgently. "Don't worry about me. Just listen carefully, there's something I need to tell you. Desker's super-human strength, it comes from a virus. But the virus is unstable. In order to maintain a balance he must inject himself regularly with a serum."
"So if we cut the supply of serum off he loses his strength," Sheva suggested.
"Affinitive. But he just took a dose so it's gonna be awhile before he needs another one."
"Damn," Chris, Nicholas, and Napoleon cursed at the same time.
"Now what?" Pachira asked, feeling the same that a weakness had been found, even if it was slight only to find out the enemy was still protected against it.
"Listen, Alexis said that the amount administrated had to be precise," Jill continued. "So if he injects too much it should act like a poison. I think she use a serum labeled PG67A/W." Sheva looked up as she remembered the injection that had been picked up and repeated the name. The thing was handed over to her to look at it. "I'm gonna try to find a way to escape. You need to find that serum. Alexis always keeps it with her in an attached case-"
The image of the human suddenly began to flicker as the signal was dying. Her voice was also being lost. "Jill!" Chris stated. "Come in! Jill!"
It was no good, the signal was lost. "Shit," Nicholas growled.
"Guys… this is it," Sheva then stated showing the label on the item she had. It matched what Jill had said.
"Let's give it a shot," Chris said.
"No pun intended," Pachira added with a grin as the injection was a kind of shot.
Meanwhile with Jill and her group, she lost the signal. "It's no good," Josh stated. "It's being jammed."
"It's okay," she said. "I told him what he needed to know."
"And to think Desker had such a weakness," Uma commented.
"Hurry, Doug should be on the roof by now," Josh stated.
"Alright, let's not keep him waiting," Cosmo said. The male human led the way to the elevator that would take the group to the roof and they boarded it.
It was a short ride and they got out. "Looks like this has seen better days," Uma commented.
The group walked towards where the roof ended. "Where is he?" Akio asked.
Suddenly they heard the sound of enemy Ajini right here. "Of course we would fight them," Cosmo grumbled.
"No helping it," Logan stated.
Suddenly the entire roof began to be swarmed with the enemy. "Shit, how many are there?!" Cosmo exclaimed.
Suddenly Akio looked up. "Watch out!" she stated to Jill and Josh.
The humans had to roll out of the way to avoid getting hit by a weapon that had been thrown at them. "Thanks!" the female told the android.
"Shit!" Josh exclaimed. "There's no escaping these guys!" He got onto his communicator. "Where the hell are you Doug?!"
"I'm almost there!" came the reply. "You worry about keeping Ms. Realentine safe and let me worry about gettin' you out!"
"He better show up, that's all I'm saying!" Logan stated as the group on the roof got ready for a fight.
Suddenly the guy spotted a couple containers of gas. "Hey, you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked his girl Uma with a grin. They had covered what kind of tactics to use in situations like this just like the rest.
The witch spotted them to and nodded. With their wands they shot fire at each one causing a massive explosion. While these wouldn't blow up holes in the roof, the twisted metal and fire were what was needed to clear out quite a bit of the enemy Ajini. The dead bodies all melted away into nothing. "Good work, but there's still more!" Cosmo exclaimed as he punched one of the infected humans right by him and broke their neck.
"I'm not giving in or dying here!" Akio said after shooting at another Ajini.
It then happened after a few more of the enemy were killed. The elevators doors for the elevator that had been ridden up opened. Behind them was an Ajini with huge mini gun and heavy pack on the back. Just like the ones Chris's group had faced off against. "Uh oh…" Uma said, seeing this new enemy.
"Just leave it to me; I'm blowing this one sky high!" Cosmo stated and fired with everything he had at the Ajini. It worked as all the damaged made the infected human fall. The body then exploded.
"Nice shot!" Josh told the male android.
The enemies still kept swarming and there seemed to be no end to them as the fight kept dragging on and on. "I don't know how much more of this I can take!" Uma exclaimed.
"How much longer will it take for Doug?!" Cosmo asked.
Right on cue, the guy contacted the group. "I'll be there as soon as I can," the human said through Josh's communicator. "Just hold out a bit longer for me, Ms. Realentine!"
"This guy is sure taking his sweet ass time," Logan grumbled.
The group kept fighting as that was all they could do. That is until they heard some familiar giggling. "Don't tell…" Uma whispered.
"Chainsaw kind of enemies, time for me to blow up stuff again," Cosmo stated and got ready.
The male Android was able to use what he had to quickly finish off the types of enemies that appeared. Even so the flow of Aijini enemies didn't slow down or let up. And then they were contacted by Doug saying he had to make a detour because of flying B.O.W.s. But then finally at last, the second human was almost there and let the group know. "I have visual contact on your position," Doug stated through Josh's communicator. "You sure know how to throw a welcome party! Prepare for extraction!"
Less than 30 seconds later, the group heard and then saw the helicopter arrive, the searchlight on the vehicle flooding the area with light as it was still dark outside. "There he is!" Uma exclaimed.
"About damn time he showed up," Logan said.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ms. Realentine," the group heard Doug say on the communicator. "Oh, and you and the others to, Josh."
"Acting like we're not even here," Cosmo grumbled.
"Oh don't mind him," Akio reassured her guy.
The small group could see where the helicopter was going to land and began to move towards the pickup area. Josh was the last one and picking of any remaining enemies. Jill was the first to try and get into the vehicle when suddenly a rocket from a launcher came out and the missile made contact on the ground right near her. The thing exploded and sent the human flying into a container on the roof causing her to exclaim loudly with pain. She fell to the ground and didn't rise up. "JILL!" Josh shouted.
He ran over to her and helped her up to her feet while she wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Doug saw what was going on and ran to get his gun to help. A few second later, Jill was fine and being helped up by the second male human to where the helicopter was. The other guys helped their girls up as well. "Josh!" Doug yelled at the latter. "C'mon! Move it!"
"We'll keep you covered!" Logan added.
The former ran and made it. He began to help Jill into the helicopter while the ones from the nether also got on. Doug was still out and repelling the enemy. "Come on!" Josh yelled at him. "We are clear!"
"You don't have to tell me twice!"
But up on a higher level tragedy was going to strike. One Ajini with some kind of rocket launcher came out and took aim before firing. Josh saw the incoming missile and Doug ran for it but wasn't going to make it. "DOUG!" the former shouted.
There was an explosion and when the light and noise had cleared, all that remanded of the latter was his combat helmet that went flying and landed on the ground. The rest saw what had happened. "No…" Uma whispered, her eyes tearing up.
"SHIT!" Josh yelled, slamming a fist into the side of the helicopter in anger and frustration.
Cosmo and him then moved to the controls. "We'll fly; cover us!" the android ordered the rest in the group.
"On it!" Jill replied and grabbed a powerful gun like what Doug had used that was laying on the backseat. On the wall above that were two powerful rocket launchers. She and the rest who weren't flying began to shoot at the incoming Ajini as the helicopter began to take off. The female human then noticed the one that had killed Doug was aiming to take another shot. Jill was quicker and got the infected human with a head shot. The rocket launcher fell with the body, but the missile from it was still shot. It was off course and Josh and Cosmo were able to fly the helicopter out of the path of it.
"Nice flying!" Jill told the two while the rest settled into the seats with a sigh of relief.
"Doug…" Josh said with bitterness at the memory of the latter's death. "He would have done better."
"I'm sorry, Josh."
"He was… He was a brave soldier," Logan stated.
"He was… my friend," Josh said slowly. "And if we don't help Sheva, Chris, and the rest, he will have died for nothing."
"You're right," Jill agreed after a moment of silence. "Let's go see if we can help them."
Meanwhile with Chris's group, those guys were beginning to move to stop Desker. "A bomber equipped with missiles?" Sheva stated. "He can't fly around in that without getting shot down…" The human then realized another thing. "Oh god!"
"Exactly," Chris replied. "The plane can't get shot down. If it does, it will initiate a biohazard."
"It's just like Jill said," Nicholas said. "He's planning to spread this virus worldwide."
"Then let's make sure that doesn't happen," Napoleon stated. The group got into an elevator and rode it down that would take them on the right path.
The ride came to an end and the group found themselves in some kind of inner workings with metal walkways and large pipes. But it was anything but peaceful in here. "Warning! Fire detected in the engine room!" went an automated female voice. "Warning! Sealing off area with primary bulkhead! Evacuate the area immediately!"
"There's always something!" Nicholas snarled, seeing the fire on the group's right.
"Wait, I see the bulkhead," Liru said. It was a large metal door with the Dricell logo on it. "Should we force our way through?"
"Nah, let's find the switch; it might be faster," Napoleon stated.
"Follow our lead," Chris said.
The two humans led the way forward. Any Ajini that stood in the way was swiftly dealt with. And then the group made it to the first lever. Liru pulled it and they heard the voice come out again. "Opening second bulkhead. Please maintain a safe distance from the bulkhead."
The group saw it slowly opening up just ahead. "Could it possibly move any slower?" Nicholas growled.
"Just hold on, it'll be open soon!" Chris told him.
It took a while, but then at last the group could enter the next section. "Another bulkhead, great," Nicholas grumbled.
"I see those strange cocoon things again," Liru said, pointing them out that were hanging on some ledges nearby. The kind that held the cricket like enemies from before.
"In that case, be extra careful," Pachira commented.
The group fought their way to the bulkhead and saw there were two levers that had to be pulled at the same time. "Cover us!" Sheva stated to those from the nether.
She and Chris pulled the two levers at the same time and the voice on the loudspeaker system came on. "Opening primary bulkhead. Please maintain a safe distance from the bulkhead."
The thing was also slowly opening. "Tch; what a pain in the ass!" Nicholas growled.
"Uh-oh…" Liru said after looking behind her. The creatures in the cocoons had hatched and were heading towards the group.
These were dealt with while waiting for the bulkhead to open. When it finally was, the group saw in the area up ahead two enemies appear from holes in the ground on platforms. They were wielding the huge miniguns and backpacks. "These again," Pachira groaned.
"We won't last a second in a head-on fight!" Chris stated. "Run around them and see if you can get a shot off!"
Luckily there was a place the group could reach from above and shot at the enemy. And thanks to the upgraded guns, it didn't take as many shots to kill these Ajini. On the dead bodies each was a card key. Both were used up ahead on the door. Beyond that was a small hallway. Everyone could tell this was going to be it before the final somehow. And due to the door closing behind the group, there was a tiny break from the fighting so they could catch their breath. "I think this is it," Nicholas said.
"Something doesn't feel right…" Sheva stated. "I can't explain it."
"Yeah, I hear you," Chris replied. "Don't let your guard down for a second."
"He's tough, but we can stop him," Napoleon added. He looked to Pachira with a smile. "After all, I have a couple of things to keep fighting for."
"That goes for me as well," Nicholas added, looking to Liru with a smile of his own.
"Then let's go and give it to him!" she stated with a grin.
"I'm ready for this," Pachira added.
The group then went through the last door. The place didn't have as much light so it was dim, but one could still see just fine in here. The bomber was on standby just like they had seen on the monitor. On the observation platform above it was Desker with his back towards the group. "Your plans are finished, Desker!" Chris stated, everyone getting their weapons at the ready.
"There's no way out this time!" Sheva added.
"Don't you guys ever tire of failing in you mission?" the enemy asked in a voice of having enough of annoyances.
Nobody moved or replied, just waiting for the human in front to make a move. "You've really become quiet an inconvenience for me," Desker stated and took of his shade. He looked up, the eyes glowing as they always did when the man got angry or was about to attack. Suddenly the enemy threw his shades back with his left hand.
Desker began to move at the same time and went for those from the nether first while Chris caught the shades. Nicholas, Liru, Napoleon, and Pachira were all knocked down with a punch while the other male human was caught by surprise when catching the shades. Desker grabbed them out of Chris's hand while grabbing Sheva's gun and pulling on it and her arm. The female human let out a grunt of pain as the hold was the kind to hurt and make her unable to fight back. The enemy moved and elbowed Chris hard, knocking the latter back and into the wall. Then Desker flipped Sheva onto her back. He had also managed to grab the shades and spun around to face where Chris was. The other human was getting up to his feet while Desker in a mocking way put his shades back on with a smirk. Chris fired with his gun and the enemy moved with his super human speed. Desker seemed to disappear and then reappear, dodging every single shot. While the enemy did so, Chris came in and managed to tackle the latter. Desker did slide on the metal floor before he planted his heels and stopped. The enemy human cracked his neck with a head tilt and then kneed Chris hard before slamming his right elbow down on his opponent's back. Chris let out a grunt of pain with each hit before being tossed hard into the railing behind the two. The ones from the nether had managed to recover by this point and fired along with Chris at Desker. The enemy did a series of backflips to avoid the bullets. "Damn it!" Nicholas snarled.
"Son of a…!" Napoleon spat.
Desker kept leaping back and managed to grab Sheva and hold the female human in a lock that was painful and so she couldn't move. "Why are you doing this?" Chris demanded. "What do you accomplish by unleashing Drodoros?"
"Every day humans come one step closer to self-destruction," the enemy replied. "I'm not destroying the world, I'm saving it!"
"This guy…" Liru whispered in anger, but didn't finished the sentience.
The enemy then threw Sheva to the side in order to dodge the gun fire that was shot at him. Desker moved and punched Chris and the others in the face before leaning back to avoid Sheva's shots. The enemy human blocked a couple of kicks sent at his head before shifting his body to the side to keep dodging the bullets. Desker then used his hands to move the guns out of the way before grabbing the wrists of Chris and Sheva. With a turn and throw, the enemy launched the latter's bodies over the railing where they landed on the ground below and were for a few moments stunned because of the pain. Desker then sent those from the nether over the railing in a similar fashion. The shot the group had picked up was knocked out of the pocket of the one carrying it and landed next to Chris's body. "This guy's lost it!" Sheva stated.
"You think?" Napoleon asked sarcastically.
Chris grabbed the injection in his left hand. "This may be our only chance!" he stated.
"Let's do it!" Pachira said.
Desker jumped down from above and landed in front of the group just as the latter stood up at the ready. Suddenly the floor they were on began to move up. "Things are really getting interesting now, eh Chris?" the enemy stated. The ceiling opened up showing the night sky. "Do you actually think you can defeat me?"
"Either way, I'm not going to stop until I'm dead!" the said human exclaimed. The floor then stopped moving and they were in the open air with the bomber now able to take off as they were on a runway above ground.
Desker let out an evil chuckle. "Well then, I'll just have to kill you quickly."
Nicholas cracked his knuckles. "Time to end this for real," the male werewolf growled.
"Let's get this son of a bitch," Napoleon snarled.
"I'll see all of you dead!" the enemy spat and began to walk towards the group to do so.
Everyone going against Desker moved as quickly as they could. They noticed the spotlights in this area had controls for them at the base of each. There were four in total and Chris went for the one on the right corner. The human pulled at the lever which turned that one off and plunged the area it had been shinning into semi darkness. While one could still see, it was harder now. "There's no point in hiding," the enemy taunted the group.
Seeing what Chris was doing, the others got to the remaining three spotlights and turned those off. With all of them no longer flooding the area with light, it was even darker and perfect for trying to attack the enemy. "This should work, right?" Liru asked to Nicholas since those two were together.
"I'm willing to try anything," he grumbled.
"Has it never occurred to you that this planet is overpopulated?" Desker stated. "Only a handful of humans matter. Everyone else is just so much chaff. So now I have to separate this chaff from the wheat. And with Drodoros I can finally accomplish this!"
"Does he ever shut up with this psycho shit?" Napoleon asked with a snarl.
Sheva and Chris found a way to make Desker stop with the talking for a bit. The female human managed to get the enemy in the shoulder with a shot. While he was shaking off the bullet, the male human had found an actual RPG in a glass case. Chris quickly broke the weapon out, aimed, and fired at Desker. To the shock of some, the enemy caught it and was able to stop it. But it was enough as someone shot the head that had been launched. There was an explosion which caused Desker to go to one knee. He wasn't injured and had survived the blast, but clearly stunned. "DO IT NOW; GIVE HIM THE SHOT!" Nicholas shouted.
Chris tried to do so, but Desker recovered and threw the human off. "Damn, that was close!" Liru said.
"No choice but to try again!"
The male human fighting against the enemy spotted a couple ladders that led up to higher levels where there might be additional shots for the RPG. He quickly went for the nearest one and began to climb up. Sheva also did the same thing. "I'm going in; cover me!" Nicholas told Liru and transformed to deal with Desker so the humans on their side could do what needed to be done.
The guy with long hair was able to buy Chris and Sheva enough time to reach the top where the ladders ended. "You're struggle is over!" the enemy stated. This person had moved right to a stack of missiles, the kind used on fighter jets. He picked one up in his right hand, handling it like it was nothing more than a cut out.
"What the hell?!" Napoleon said seeing this.
The enemy human threw the missile at Chris and Sheva. Somehow those two avoided the blast. "Only those with superior DNA will be chosen by Drodoros…" Desker then stated. "Only those fit for survival will be allowed to carry their genes into a new age!"
Chris then got another shot for the RPG. "And let me guess," the human shot back. "You're the one that's going to rule this 'new age,' right?"
"Let me clarify something for you Chris. I don't think of myself as a king…"
"Oh great," the said guy grumbled to Sheva. "I feel more crazy talk coming on."
"No, I am a god!" Desker stated. "And even kings bow to gods!'
"A god?!" Sheva exclaimed. "I think he's completely lost it."
"He never had it to begin with," said Chris. "We have to stop him."
The two human then made it down from where they were with the male having the rocket for the RPG that he had abandoned in order to climb up the ladders. "I think Chris has it," Pachira told Napoleon.
"I'm going in then," he stated and rushed in to distract Desker.
The male vampire tried to do the best he could, but was thrown and hard into the ground by the enemy who let out an evil laugh. "Is that all you have?" Desker taunted.
Chris took the opportunity and fired with the RPG. The enemy caught the shot and like before, it exploded, making this human go to his knees. Sheva was the one to try to restrain Desker this time and Chris managed to slam the needle of the injection into the enemy's chest. The two humans backed up while the latter rose up, clutching at the thing protruding from his body. Desker was let out some grunts and looked to not be alright. The others from the nether joined their human friends. Desker was breathing hard and went to his knees again. With an angry grunt, he pulled the injection out of his body and threw it to the side. "Did it work?" Sheva asked.
"I think so," Chris stated.
The group then saw Desker let out a groan of pain and clutch his head. The sound then became ones of extreme pain. The enemy slowly ripped his shades off, showing his eyes were glowing amber orange and more than in moments of anger and power. Desker threw these to the side with a grunt of anger. "This isn't over, Chris!" he snarled and stood up with a bit of effort.
Desker then turned and began to head to the plane which was making sounds of powering up. With his strength, the enemy took large jumps to get to his destination. "He's getting away, hurry!" Chris ordered.
The group ran towards the vehicle and saw it was being turned on some kind of turntable to point it in the direction it needed to be for takeoff. The thrusters were turning on as the humans and those from the nether made it up some stairs. "We won't make it!" Pachira exclaimed.
"We will; just run!" Nicholas said.
The plane was slowly starting to move with the back hatch also starting to close. Chris put on a burst of speed and jumped up, his hand catching the edge of the hatch. The human pulled himself up and was aboard, with Nicholas and Napoleon right behind him. They all then turned their bodies to see the remaining three who hadn't made it. "Sheva!" Chris shouted in encouragement. "Come on!"
"You've all got this!" Nicholas added.
"Just grab on!" Napoleon exclaimed, all three males holding their hands out to one of the females each.
The three just made it and were pulled on board. The group could feel the bomber take off and into the air with the hatch door closing behind them. Everyone then drew their weapons and slowly began to walk forward just in case. "I can smell he's here," Nicholas whispered, lips pulled back a little in a growl. Up ahead showed a huge middle section that could carry vehicles or huge guns for fighting. On the left and right walls were seats that soldiers could sit at if this plane was going into battle. There were also a few pillars here that acted as supports for the roof.
"I may have underestimated you and the rest, Chris," Desker's voice was heard with anger dripping out.
"Save it Desker!" the latter shot back. "There's no one left to help you now!"
The enemy was at the far end up ahead and on his knees right in front of the override lever and door that led to the pilot seat. "I don't need anyone else!" Desker spat and slammed his left fist into the door. The result left an indentation in the metal. He then rose up, breathing hard. "I have Drodoros! In less than five minutes we'll reach the optimal altitude for missile deployment. Drodoros will be released into the atmosphere ensuring complete global saturation."
The human let out a breath and then charged, using his super human like speed. However, due to the injection, Desker was a bit slower, and the group was able to move and dodge, the blow. The enemy then went after Chris, getting the latter in the stomach with his fist before kicking the second male human with his foot. Desker then sent Chris flying with a kick. The enemy in one fluid motion turned with his own gun at the ready and fired at the rest of the group. They had to take cover behind the pillars. "Damn it; he's still a tough s.o.b.!" Napoleon snarled.
"Your feeble attempts only delay the inevitable," Desker stated as he continued to fire. Chris fired his gun, but the enemy used his speed to dodge the latter's shot while firing at the rest of the group and talking. "The entire world will be infected." Now the enemy had made it in front of Chris as the former had been moving forward towards the latter. Desker had his gun pointed at Chris's forehead. "A new genesis is at hand, and I will be the creator."
The latter glanced to the side to see Sheva come charging in with a large combat knife and shot. She was the closest to do so, unlike those from the nether who came out from behind their shielding spot to see what would happen. Desker was able to dodge the blow and did some backflips before landing on the ceiling and sticking to it like some kind of animal. The enemy aimed with his gun, but was a second too slow. This was because those from the nether all fired with their guns. The bullets didn't slow Desker down, but did get the enemy's weapon out of his hand. In response, the human dropped from the ceiling and managed in a few motions, kick the four, and Chris to the ground. "Damn it all!" Nicholas grunted in pain.
Sheva then came in with her knife. Desker was able to block the blow with his left forearm and the blade went deep into that part of him. For a few second, they stared at the other before Desker shook off the pain and grabbed the human female's throat. Sheva struggled to break free because of his grip. She then, with a shout, managed to move, break free of Desker's grasp, and using her body and the momentum, managed to get him on the ground. Chris rose up with the same injection ready to give the enemy even more of the stuff inside. "We've had enough of your bullshit!" he shouted and stabbed Desker with it in the neck. The enemy let out a sound of pain and managed to get away, but with effort.
Those from the nether rose up, having recovered. "You're just another one of Rindella's leftovers!" Nicholas stated.
"You know what we have to do," Sheva then stated.
Everyone looked to where Desker had been standing and saw the lever that would have to be pulled. "Alright, I'll go for the override lever," Chris said. "Cover me!"
The enemy was starting to stand up, recovering from the hit and glaring at the with hate after getting the injection out of his neck. "Let's do it!" Liru shouted and everyone began to move.
The sound Desker made caused everyone but Chris to turn back around to face the enemy. They all fired and the latter jumped up and to one of the side walls to avoid the bullets. The guy landed like some kind of animal. Desker then lunged at Chris, but was a second too slow. The other male human managed to pull the lever and then move to avoid the enemy's strike with his fist. In an instant the room's main lighting went out and the emergency ones came on. Chris was breathing a little hard, and he saw how Desker's fist had gone clear through the metal wall right where the former had been standing. The door that opened to load and unload troops, weapons, and all that slowly began to open. Due to how high the plane was up, there was the beginning sensation of the air to tug at the bodies in here and pull them out. "You'll pay for that!" Desker snarled at Chris.
The enemy ripped his fist out of the wall and then staggered as the air tugging increased. "Hang on!" Chris shouted to the others.
"I've got you!" Nicholas exclaimed as he held onto one of the support pillars with one hand and Liru's hand in the other. She tightened her grip.
Desker was pulled more towards the ever widening opening while Sheva grabbed onto another support pillar. Napoleon had quickly grabbed Pachira with one hand and the other onto a different support pillar. "Napoleon!" she exclaimed.
"I'm not letting you go!" he told her, their eyes meeting. The plane was beginning to descend down.
Meanwhile Desker had gone flying, hit the pillar Sheva was holding onto, and kept going. But then the enemy recovered and managed to grab onto one of her legs. "Shit!" Nicholas stated when he and everyone saw this.
To Chris, time seemed to stop as flashes of what happened to Jill went through is mind. He could see that Sheva wasn't going to be able to hold on for much longer. And then it happened where the female human lost her grip and began to be dragged out along with Desker towards the opening which was now fully open. "NO!" the male human shouted and let go from where he was holding. In one motion, Chris managed to grab Sheva with his left hand and with his right, the pillar she had been holding onto. By this point, the bomber plane was heading straight into an open top of an actual volcano. The wind tugging was at its greatest now and everyone could hardly move. "I'm taking the two of you with me!" Desker exclaimed, barely able to be heard over the wind.
Sheva kicked one of his hands off of her. "Like hell you will!" she shot back before firing with her gun.
The bullet got the enemy and he let go, fully being pulled out of the plane. The vehicle in the meantime was upon the volcano and went through the open crater. The bomber crashed into some of the solid molten rock above the scorching lava. Needless to say, it wasn't the smoothest of landings. The group managed to make it out, dazed, but unhurt. "Is everyone okay?" Nicholas managed to ask.
"I think so," Liru replied.
"Wait… are we really in a volcano?" Pachira then asked as the group saw where they were.
"Better get to higher ground," Napoleon stated. Everyone else nodded and slowly began to walk on the hardened lava. Despite the toxic and deadly gases and fumes, there wasn't enough of the stuff belching out to be a danger.
None of them noticed or heard the sound of the enemy though until they all heard a voice. "I should have killed you and the others when I had the chance…" The group whipped around and drew their guns. It was Desker only now he was bare chest and standing on one of the missels that had been loaded with Drodoros. "…Chris!"
"You're mistake," the latter shot back. "It's over, Desker!"
"Over?" the enemy replied and let out an evil chuckle. "I'm just getting started!"
The guy raised his right fist up and with his inhuman strength, busted right through the metal like it was paper. "Wait… that's one of the…" Pachira whispered, taking a step back like some of the others. Nicholas was growling like a dog did before an enemy emerged.
"Shit," Napoleon stated.
Desker hunched over and then reared his back up. From the hole he had made, the group saw Drodoros emerge, the familiar slimy tendrils and tentacles that made up the B.O.W. beginning to wrap around the enemy's right arm. This rapidly began to cover more of the human's upper body and he let out groans as he began to merge with it. Desker's face also began to get dark patches as this process happened and then he pulled his arm out of the missile, taking some of the metal that made up the object with the part of Drodoros he was combining with. Looking at his body showed the same dark patches were popping up to as Drodoros began to work its way to the left arm and into the body. The group just watched in silent horror and then the merging was completed. The dark patches had become black in color like burns. Drodoros could be seen squirming and moving on the body and through the skin. The shards of metal were on the section on the right side of the body that moved like one giant limb. The small orange orb that came with this B.O.W. could been seen and was covered and protected by Drodoros. "Time to die all of you," the enemy said dangerously.
Desker jumped down from where he was in front of the group who all slowly took a couple steps back. "Not good," Napoleon mumbled.
"Time to go," Nicholas growled softly and everyone began to move away from Desker.
"Why can't any of you understand?" the enemy stated. "Do you really believe the world is worth saving? Natural selection leaves the survivors stronger and better. Humans have escaped this winnowing for far too long."
Meanwhile the group had started to cross over a section of hardened lava that was like a bridge. Sheva, Nicholas, and Liru made it, but when Chris, Napoleon, and Pachira tried to cross, the rock collapsed, sending those three down to some more hardened lava below. It wasn't a smooth landing and they were momentarily stunned. "Are you guys okay?!" Liru exclaimed as her group whipped around to see this after hearing the nose.
"Yeah, just go!" Chris shot back, signaling to do so.
The two groups moved again and Desker jumped to close the distance. But then trouble came for the two werewolves and female human. They crossed a section and that collapsed. The three were barely able to grab onto the edge of the rock ahead of them and not fall into the lava. "Shit!" Nicholas exclaimed as they held on for dear life.
The other noticed. "Just hold on guys!" Chris yelled at them. He and the vampires then ran into a huge boulder, the largest obstacle they had come across.
"It's a dead end!" Pachira exclaimed.
"Out of the way!" Napoleon stated. He whipped out a ruin used by the males of the nether, one that would temporarily increase his strength. It glowed white hot as the vampire began to draw on it more and more while pushing against the huge bolder. Chris came up to help along with Pachira.
"Come on!" she grunted. Napoleon began to hit the rock with punches to try to get it to move. The ruin he had looked like it would burn his skin and well as crack. Finally after what felt like forever, the three managed to knock the rock into the lava up ahead and create a small path for them to cross, including the other group.
Looking back showed Desker was getting closer to the first group. "Quick, up to a higher level!" Napoleon said, looking to see a small area of rock that could be reached that was like a platform to fight.
Desker began to swing his mutated arm around like a massive whip, destroying rock. "Watch it!" Pachira exclaimed as her group moved back.
Napoleon and Chris took out their and managed to hit the enemy in the head. While the shots clearly made contact, they didn't seem to do much. The enemy then made it to the platform and raised his mutated arm straight up, the metal bits starting to spark with electricity. "Wait, he can use that now?!" Napoleon asked.
The three noticed that Desker was moving slower with this and they could get around him in a timely fashion before the enemy with a shot launched his arm where they had been. That's when the first weak point revealed itself on the human's back. "Right there!" Chris shouted and all three fired at the spot. The enemy certainly felt that but after a couple of shots, the weak point was covered up and protected.
Meanwhile the other three who had been holding for dear life managed to pull themselves up and saw what was going on. "They need some help!" Liru said.
She, Nicholas, and Sheva fired at Desker whenever they could without hitting the other three near him. After a few more hits, the enemy grunted loudly in pain which then became yells, holding up his left arm. Everyone saw Drodoros take over that limb, transforming it into some kind of arm made up of the stuff. The former human's eyes were now really glowing orange after this was finished. Desker then used his right limb to propel himself up into the air and land on the rock path the second group was at. "Damn you!" he spat.
"Shit, let's move!" Nicholas stated and he, plus the ladies who were with him moved as quickly as they could.
"War and pestilence wherever you go," the enemy stated. "Everywhere, nothing but loathsome humans!" The group made it to where the huge rock had been and jumped, making it across and began to make their way to the others. "The human race requires judgement!"
"And you're going to judge us?" Chris shot back. "Do you get all your ideas from comic book villains?"
Nicholas's group made it to the others. The enemy used his right limb to jump and land where all six now where on the platform. "CHRISSSS!" Desker shouted.
"Let's go freak!" Napoleon said to the mutated human.
The enemy did the same kind of attack with his right limb, only the striking part was moving that across the ground in a circle. Chris managed to hit the orb. The mutated human than raised up both his limbs with a yell. He then slammed them into the rock and what came up with a whirling mass of Drodoros surrounding him. "Shit; he's going to tear our platform apart with that if he keeps it up!" Nicholas shouted.
"Never mind that, I can't get a shot at him!" Liru stated.
Finally the attack stopped. The enemy turned and the group saw the same kind of orb on the front of the body get revealed. "Let him have it!" Pachira exclaimed.
Everyone fired, but it wasn't enough. The weak spot was then covered by the mass that made up Drodoros. "I can't lose!" the enemy shouted. "Not to you!"
"We got him now on the run!" Nicholas stated.
"Let's get this son of a bitch!" Napoleon added.
Desker attacked again, this time by sending his left limb down into the ground. "Guess he doesn't care about the area, not if it means taking us down!" Liru growled to her guy after everyone dodged the blow.
"We've got the end this before that!" he snarled.
Napoleon got the weak spot on the back this time which made the one on the human's front appear. Everyone fired, but it still wasn't enough. "What does it take to end this guy?!" the male vampire exclaimed.
Desker struck back again. Only this time things would go different after Chris hit the weak point on the enemy's back. The front one was revealed and attacked. Then the mutated human faltered and Chris ran up and grabbed Desker from behind. "Now, Sheva!" he exclaimed. "Shoot him!"
Chris began to punch at the front weak point with his bare fist. "I can't without hitting you!" she replied.
"Then shot through me!" The human attacking the mutated one began to pull the mass of Drodoros that was covering up the weak spot to expose it even more.
"Better idea, stab him!" Nicholas stated, drawing his katana while Sheva got her combat knife ready. The human and male werewolf began to hack at the weak spot.
"Move over!" Napoleon told them and the two did so the male vampire could also take a shot at Desker as well. The vampire got some hits in before all three pulled back and as one stabbed at the weak spot.
Yellow glowing stuff came spewing out like it was blood and Desker felt every blow, grunting and groaning with pain. He managed to shake Chris off. This guy then came in with his combat knife and stabbed the enemy in the back where that weak spot was. More of the glowing stuff came out and the enemy really let out a groan of pain as everyone that had attacked stepped back. "Did that do it?" Liru whispered to Pachira.
The enemy took some steps back, his mutated limbs flailing about. Desker managed to stop moving and glared at the group with a growl of pain. The latter were on guard just in case. Suddenly the area of the rock platform where the enemy was moved as the thing had taken too much damage during this fight. The whole section began to crack as it started to come apart. The section the enemy was standing on was the first to break apart. In no time at all, the rocks split and Desker fell into the lava. The enemy let out yells of pain as was to be expected while the remaining part of the rock platform began to break apart. "Shit!" Nicholas growled.
Suddenly the sound of a helicopter could be heard. The group looked up to see it was Jill and the rest who had come in the nick of time having managed to track the others down to here. "Grab on!" she yelled to them and tossed a ladder down.
"They made it!" Pachira said and grabbed the ladder to hold it study. Everyone started going up it quickly. Chris was the last one and was just able to grab the last rung before the rock platform sank into the lava.
The group made it up the ladder and were reunited with the rest. "Perfect timing," Nicholas said after getting his breath back. Sheva and a couple of the others looked out of the helicopter to see the situation down below.
"CHRISSSSS!" Desker screamed in anger that his enemy was getting away.
"You've gotta be shitting me; he's still alive!" Napoleon exclaimed, also looking and saw the mutated human still in the lava.
Desker with his left limb show the mass that made it up at the helicopter and grabbed the railing. He pulled, knocking many on the vehicle off balance. "Hang on!" Cosmo told them while the enemy pulled again, trying to bring the helicopter down.
"Someone shoot him!" Liru growled, trying to get back up.
"Quick, all of you; use those!" Jill stated, pointing to some weapons that were on the helicopter wall right above the area where passengers sat in the back.
Looking showed they were to RPG rocket launchers. Chris and Sheva grabbed one each. "Ready partner?" he asked as they took aim.
"Locked and loaded," she replied.
"Suck on this Desker."
"Your time's up you son of a bitch!"
Both humans fired the missiles. They seemed to move in slow motion before hitting right on target. There was an explosion of lava and the limb from the mutate human disintegrated proving without a doubt that finally this enemy was truly dead. Everyone looked out and saw only lava. "That was for our fallen brothers," Sheva stated.
The entire group let the knowledge sink in that Desker would never bother them again. "It's over with him," Nicholas whispered as the helicopter began to leave the area. The sun was also starting to rise in the sky.
The helicopter soon was away from the volcano. The males from the nether were sitting by this point with their girl snuggled against them as it had been one hell of a night. Cosmo though had Akio just standing behind him since the male android was still piloting along with Josh. For the rest, their guy had their arm around them, holding them close. "It's over," Chris then said. He was sitting across from Jill and Sheva.
"Yes," the second female human replied.
"Finally…" the first added. Josh looked back to them all with a smile to show he agreed with that to.
Chris then thought back on this entire thing that had happened in this country. More and more he found himself wondering if it was all worth fighting for. For a future without fear. Yeah, it was worth it. Looking at those from the nether showed it. Meanwhile that group knew they would need a rest after this. For Napoleon and Pachira, that meant hitting his bed, as they were to that point in the relationship with making love. For Logan, he wondered if now was the time for him and Uma to share the same bed in terms of just sleeping. Cosmo was like that for his girl. For Nicholas, all he wanted to do was snuggle up with his Liru in their bed. She was thinking the same thing. However, there were still the threat of the enemy out there. And very soon, another would be surfacing up once again